Power washing apparatus including an accumulator



Get. 21, 1969 K. E. KOLLMAI 3,473,480

NG AN ACCUMULATOR POWER WASHING APPARATUS INCLUDI 2 Sheets-Sheet l FiledMay 51, 1966 INYENTOR.

KLAUS E KOLLMAI A TORNEYS 0d. 21, 1969 K. E. KOLLMAI POWER WASHINGAPPARATUS INCLUDING AN ACCUMULATOR Filed May 31, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet I IIII! all . ml- WM A L EL. 3 0 d Y A E R n o v T A L A K 0/ mm UnitedStates Patent 3,473,480 POWER WASHING APPARATUS INCLUDING AN ACCUMULATORKlaus E. Kollrnai, 211 S. Main Ave., Haysville, Kans. 67060 Filed May31, 1966, Ser. No. 553,767 lint. Cl. F04!) 11/00; F16] 55/04; E03b 11/16US. Cl. l03223 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention is apower washing apparatus utilizing pressure differential to supply andrestrict the flow of detergent to an inlet section of a pump member andan accumulator means operable to shock absorb the normal pulsatingpressure fluid output therefrom. More specifically, this invention is anaccumulator means utilizing a resilient member within a housing operableto compress an air pocket therein to provide a self adjusting shockabsorbing function to the pulsating fluid output.

Various types of washing equipment are known to the prior art operableto discharge a fluid under pressure selectively with or without acleansing detergent. The prior art devices use complicated and expensivemetering means such as solenoid valves and sensitive bleed valves toinject the detergent into the system. Additionally, an accumulator isnormally necessary in a power washing apparatus to control the pulsatingwater column created by the pump means, and the prior art accumulatordevices conventionally used are spring loaded mechanisms that are ofhigh precision manufacture and expensive to repair and replace.

In accordance with the present invention, a new power washer apparatusis provided having a motor means driving a piston-type pump means whichcan conveniently be mounted on a detergent reservoir tank. A watersupply means is connected through a metering control means to the inletor input side of the pump means. The output side of the pump means isconnected through a line to a pressure accumulator means having a hoseconnected thereto leading to a wand assembly. The wand assembly has adischarge orifice through which the fluid under pressure is ejected.

In one preferred specific embodiment of the invention, a power washingapparatus is provided for cleansing automobiles, machinery, and anystructure requiring a high pressure detergent spray to remove dirt, oil,grease, and the like. The washing apparatus includes a portabledetergent barrel having a support plate secured to the upper end thereofon which is mounted a motor means having a rotatable output shaft. Apiston-type, cam actuated, pump means secured to the output shaft isoperable to receive an input fluid such as water under conventionalwater pressure and discharge the fluid at, for example 500 p.s.i., at avolume of approximately two gallons per minute. On the input side of thepump means is a control means including an intermediate T member havinga fluid input side connected to a fiuid supply line, a central detergentinput side connected to a detergent metering means, and an outlet sideconnected to the input side of the pump means. The fluid supply line hasa control valve to cut off fluid supply and a central orifice toregulate the amount of fluid flow into the T member. The detergentmetering means has a needle valve to control the amount of detergentflow through a ball and spring assembly which is operable to permit aone way flow of detergent toward the T member. On the output side of thepump means is connected a discharge line having an accumulator meansconnected thereto intermediate a hose memice her having a discharge Wandassembly connected to the outer end thereof. The accumulator meansreceives a portion of the output pulsating fluid from the pump means inthe discharge line and operates to smooth out the vibration resultingtherefrom. The wand assembly includes an elongated rod or wand having ahandle and a discharge nozzle connected to the outer end. The nozzleincludes a filter element operable to prevent impurities from clogging adischarge orifice in the outer tip thereof.

Accordingly it is an object of this invention to provide a power washingapparatus overcoming the abovementioned disadvantages of the prior artdevices.

Another object of this invention is to provide a power washing apparatushaving a simplified and accurate control means operable to regulate theamount of fluid and detergent supplied to the input side of the pumpmeans for the proper operation thereof.

A further object of this invention is to provide a power washingapparatus having a pump means operable to receive a fluid detergentmixture and discharge the same under high pressure, and a detergentmetering means operable to inject a pre-determined amount of detergentinto the pump means during the input stroke thereof.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a power washerapparatus having a pump means operable to create a pulsating outputwater column and an accumulator means operable to efficiently andeffectively reduce considerably the vibration and pressure variations inthe output water column.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a new and novelaccumulator means having a pair of resilient members mounted within ahousing operable to compress an isolated column of air to resilientlyabsorb vibration and pulsating pressure acting on the resilient members.

One other object of this invention is to provide an accumulator meansthat is economical to manufacture, simple to repair and replace, andefficient in operation.

One further object of this invention is to provide a power washingapparatus which is inexpensive to construct, readily portable, andsimple to use.

Various other objects, advantages, and features of the invention willbecome apparent to those skilled in the art from the followingdiscussion taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the power washing apparatus of thisinvention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of the major elements ofthe power washing apparatus of this invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the accumulator means of thisinvention;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are schematic diagrams illustrating the operation of thedetergent metering means of this invention under various pressureoperating conditions; and

FIGS. 6 and 7 are schematic diagrams illustrating the operation andfunction of the accumulator means of this invention under variouspressure operating conditions.

The following is a discussion and description of preferred specificembodiments of the new power Washing apparatus of this invention, suchbeing made with reference to the drawings, whereupon the same referencenumerals are used to indicate the the same or similar parts and/ orstructure. It is to be understood that such discussion and descriptionis not to unduly limit the scope of the invention.

Referring to the drawings in detail and particularly to FIG. 1, thepower washing apparatus of this invention, indicated generally at 12,includes a power assembly 13 mounted on a support plate 15 extendedacross the upper end of a detergent supply barrel 17. The plate 15 issecured to the barrel 17 as by bolts or welding and, in turn, the barrel17 is mounted on a coaster frame 19 providing for easy movement andresultant portability of the power Washing apparatus 12 over asupporting surface. It is obvious that shock absorbing elements can beused to mount the plate on the barrel for isolation of noise andvibration of the power assembly 13.

The power assembly 13 includes an electric motor 21 bolted to thesupport plate 15 having a rotatable shaft 23 to which is secured a pumpmeans 24 as by the use of an Allen screw. The pump means 24 can be anytype of a constant volume piston type pump and this is illustratedherein as a readily available Hypro Twin Pump manufactured by HyproEngineering, Inc., of Minneapolis, Minn. This particular pump means 24is of a dual piston type cam actuated on rotation of the output shaft 23and capable of working against pressures up to two thousand (2000)p.s.i. but normally used for washing purpose to discharge fluid at apressure of approximately 500 to 600 pounds p.s.i.

As shown in FIG. 2, the pump means 24 has an inlet section 26 to whichis connected a fluid-detergent control means 27 and an outlet section 29to which is connected .a discharge control means 31. The fluid-detergentcontrol means 27 includes an intermediate T member 33 having an outletend 34 connected through a reducer 35 to the inlet section 26 of thepump means 24, an inlet end 37 connected to a fluid inlet assembly 38,and an intermediate opening 40 connected to a detergent meteringassembly 42. The fluid inlet assembly 38 includes a standard stop cockvalve 44 having one end threaded into the inlet end 37 of the T member33 with an orifice member 46 mounted therebetween. The orifice member 46is of a cylindrical shape having a central opening 48 of a size toselectively regulate the fluid flow available therethrough for reasonsto be explained. At the opposite end of the stopcock 44 is connected acoupling member 50 adapted to receive a standard garden-type hose member52 for supplying fluid, such as water, thereto. It is obvious that thestopcock 44 is operable to control the supply of fluid to the powerassembly 13.

The detergent metering assembly 42 includes a needle valve member 53connected to the intermediate opening 40 having a handle 55 rotatable toaccurately regulate the detergent flow therethrough. The upper end ofthe needle valve member 53 is connected to a spring seat member 56 of acheck valve assembly 58. Within the spring seat member 56, the checkvalve assembly 58 has a spring 60, and a ball 61 held in the assembledposition by a ball seat member 63. The ball 61 is biased upwardly by thespring into sealing engagement with an inclined surface 65 (FIGS. 4 and5) and operable under certain conditions to permit fluid flow downwardlytowards the T member 33 against the spring tension but prevent fluidflow upwardly past the surface 65. The upper end of the ball seat member63 is formed with a stepped outer sealing surface 67 adapted to receiveone end of a supply hose 68 having its other end extending through anopening 69 in the detergent barrel 17 and below the detergent leveltherein to pull detergent therefrom as will become obvious.

The power assembly 13, as shown in FIG. 2, further includes thedischarge control means 31 connected to the outlet section 29 of thepump means 24. The discharge control means 31 includes a T connector 71connected by a first coupling 72 to the pump means 24 and by secondcoupling 74 to an accumulator means 76. The third opening of theconnector 71 is connected to one end of an elongated flexible tubularmember 77 having its opposite end connected to a discharge rod or wand78. As shown in FIG. 1, the wand 78 has a hand grip section 80 formanuverability and a 45 degree elbow 81 connected to the outer endthereof. Within the elbow 81 is a filter element 83 held therein by adischarge tip 84 4- threaded on the elbow 81. The filter element 83 isoperable to prevent impurities from clogging a discharge orifice 86 inthe tip 84. The size and shape of the orifice 36 is critical incontrolling the pressure and configuration of the spray pattern of thefluid mixture discharged from the wand 78.

As shown in FIG. 3, the accumulator means 76 of this invention includesa cylinder shaped housing having .1 cap member 88 threaded upon adome-shaped body 99. The cap member 88 has a central opening 91 withinternal threads mounted on the upper end of the second coupling 74.Mounted within the housing are first and second resilient ball members93 and 94 with the first ball member 93 having a diameter slightlylarger than the inner diameter of the body 89. It is seen, therefore.that the first ball member 93 contacts the inner wall 95 of the body 89to form an air seal and trap air within air air cavity 96. The secondball member 94 is positioned below the first ball member 93 for thefunction of maintaining the first ball member 93 within the body 89notwithstanding the pressures acting thereupon. The second ball member94 is of a much harder material than the first ball member 93 and has asmaller diameter so as to be freely movable within the housing betweenthe first ball member 93 and the central opening 91 of the cap member88.

In the use and operation of the power washing apparatus 12 of thisinvention, the stopcock valve 44 is opened to provide fluid, such aswater, to the pump means 24 and the needle valve member 53 is adjustedto provide an opening into the check valve assembly 58. On energizationof the motor 21, the pump means 24 is actuated to draw a fluid-detergentmixture into the inlet section 26 for discharge through the tubularmember 77 and the wand 78 under high pressure. More specifically, asshown in FIGS. 4 and 5, on the intake stroke of the pump means 24, thefluid is drawn through the orifice member 46 in sufiicient quantity tocreate a slight suction within the T member 33 but without starving thepump means 24. This slight suction operates to open the check valveassembly 58 to pull a controlled amount of detergent into the T member33 for conveyance into the pump means 24. After the intake stroke, moreparticularly on the exhaust stroke of the pump means 24, the spring 60and the fluid within the T member 33 are operable to seal the ball 61with the surface 65 to prevent back flow of fluid into the detergenthose 68. It is seen therefore, that the pulsating water column withinthe detergent metering assembly 42 is operable to pull detergent fromthe barrel 17 in the required increments. Additionally ,the size of theopening 48 in the orifice member 46 is selected to correspond with theinput fluid pressure (normally, the available water pressure) so as toprovide the proper volume amount of water to the T member 33 to achievethe pulsating suction action for feeding in the detergent.

On the output side of the pump means 24, the accumulator means 76operates to absorb the shock Waves of the output water column and,therefore, reduce the vibration which normally causes rapiddeterioration of the power Washing apparatus 12. As shown in FIG. 6, thehigh output pressure of the fluid from the pump means 24 is movedthrough the central opening 91 of the accumulator means 76 concurrentlywith discharge through the wand 78. This pressure within the accumulatormeans 76 acts to move the first ball member 93 upwardly to compress theair within the cavity 96 until the operating discharge pressure(determined the size of the orifice 86 in the tip 84) is reached. Forexample, on assuming an operating pressure of 500 p.s.i., the first ballmember 93 is sealed against the inner wall 95 of the body 89 anddistorted into a substantially egg-shape by the air and fluid pressureacting on the opposite sides thereof.

On the intake stroke of the pump means 24 as shown in FIG. 7, the firstball member 93 acts as an auxiliary pump to expand toward its originalshape under the air pressure Within the cavity 96 to force fluid thereinthrough the central opening 91, the Wand 78, and the discharge orifice86. This achieves a substantially constant output pressure Withoutfluctuation of the output Water column and resultant vibration of thepump means 24. The larger size and fiuid capacity of the accumulatormeans 76 relative to the diameter of the tubular member 77 and thedischarge orifice 86 results in a plentiful supply of fluid flow intothe discharge control means 31 to maintain a substantially constantpressure therewithin.

After an automobile or the like is sufiiciently sprayed with thefluid-detergent mixture under high pressure for cleansing purposes, itis obvious that the needle valve 53 can be closed whereupon only thefluid such as Water is discharged therefrom for rising purposes.

As will be apparent from the foregoing description of preferredembodiments, it is seen that the power Washing apparatus of thisinvention presents a compact, portable structure that is easy to use,inexpensive to manufacture, and substantially maintenance free. Theaccumulator means of this invention presents a novel structure that issimple in operation and can be readily maintained and repaired withoutspecial knowledge or tools needed.

I claim:

1. A power washing apparatus having a motor means connected to a pumpmeans, comprising;

(a) accumulator means connected to an outlet of said pump means having ahousing, a fluid inlet portion, and resilient means within said housing,

(b) said resilient means contacting the sidewalls of said housing in asealed, sliding unattached relationship to separate said housing into anair pocket p01- tion and a fluid portion on opposite exterior sides ofsaid resilient means, and

(c) said resilient means operable under fluid pressure to compress theair in said air pocket portion to achieve shock absorbing function andregulate the output pressure of said pump means.

2. A power Washing apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein (a) saidresilient means having a ball member is operable to absorb and transmitpressure fluctuation in said outlet.

3. A power Washing apparatus as described in claim 2, wherein (a) saidaccumulator means has a second resilient ball member Within said housingto hold said first resilient ball member in an operable position incontact with said sidewalls of said housing to assure continuation ofsaid air pocket portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 942,666 12/1909 Romstaedt 1372075/1967 Mercier 138--30 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,094,549 12/1954 France.

WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner R. I. SMITH, Assistant Examiner US.Cl. X.R.. 137-568; l3830

